Maria Carluccio

The people created by her brush work and collage appear fashionable and chic.
Her use of soft color is popular for many different genres and people.

When I was a kid I once got in big trouble for scratching pictures of houses into a soft leather tabletop (hey, it was the '70s). From that point on I knew I was hooked. I always thought that it was cool to be able to draw what you could see but it was magical to draw what you could feel or imagine. I still think that.

I grew up with 4 siblings in a small town in northern New Jersey. My dad practiced law. He had all kinds of bizarre cases, which fed his passion to learn about people and their stories. My mom was an artist. She nurtured every creative interest I had. Her belief in the value of creativity was surely an influence on all of us.

After I graduated college I decided I wanted to see the world with a backpack. I went to live in Italy for a few years. I would paint, draw and collect all sorts of things in my journals. I would find treasure in the exotic scraps of paper. I would find characters for stories. I would learn how to trust my own intuitive spirit.

Upon my return I knew for sure I was meant to be the girl behind the drawing board. I realized I needed to experience the media hands on and I wanted to discover something new every time I approached the drawing board.

Today I am a freelance illustrator and textile designer. I live with my husband, daughter, dog and cat in a wooden house near the Hudson River.